A History of Western Philosophy - Bertrand Russell (audio)

Such is the influence of this book, very little need be said about it and surely it's been reviewed to death. However for those unfamiliar with it, the book represents an invaluable resource which offers a thorough and formidable overview of, as is suggested by the title, western philosophy.

The benefit of an audio version of this weighty tome is indeed just for that reason - this is no simple introduction but a fairly academic treatise upon a large number of subjects. Indeed it takes longer to work through the book when it is read to you, however with audio you can listen anywhere (if you have a portable device) and perhaps retention may be more assured. Of course to get a printed version is advised. Furthermore using them both at the same time may prove efficacious. 

The book begins with a very brief description of the science, politics, commerce, society, geography, theology, language, art, military, agrarian and judicial history of the famed Aegean Sea region which preceded and originated such thinkers as are familiar to us as the fathers of philosophy. Of course this account centers around the Ancient Greek world including the islands and city states, but also touches momentarily on earlier civilisations such as Egyptian, Babylonian, Minoan, Phonecian, Mycenaean and so on, and mentions invasions, wars and occupations which are known or conjectured to be contributory to the formation of the Classical Greece period which predates the Hellenistic era. This is a wonderful approach as it gives greater insight into visualising a context for the information contained in the later chapters.

Bertrand Russell is a strange character and indeed his influence on academic theory in English cannot be overstated. It has been noted in satirical attacks on him that as a philosopher he is somewhat anomalous since he seems to be devoid of any philosophy to speak of. If this is the case it doesn't detract from his ability to possess a profound understanding of the classical world and at least from a scholarly perspective, what amounts to mastery of his chosen fields in science and mathematics. It would appear that he was versed in Greek and Latin and of course as an aristocrat would have been in receipt of a particular type of education reserved for the elite class to which he belonged. That he used this privilege to elevate the learning of those who were bereft of such an advanced indoctrination is certainly generous, and there are works of his which are fairly candid and explicit in the separation of knowledge between the classes and the scientific techniques used in order to maintain that separation. Despite this he is indeed most known as a kind of rebel and a 'liberal', indeed he is most famous as an aristocratic peace activist. Anyway, the less said about that delineation here the better. This book is great as it is rich and complex, Russell's token humour permeates throughout and he wastes no time exposing erroneous logic in famous arguments (which is useful for those a reader fails to notice) and indeed equally giving credit where credit is due. Of course as a consequence of his personal beliefs and conditioning Russell does not come without prejudices which occasionally crop up in the text. These are only natural for a figure of such conviction and his mild arrogance typical of his class serve to give character to the story throughout.

Download audiobook 'A History of Western Philosophy' by Bertrand Russell